None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Staying Fit has been designed as an Internet-based adolescent weight management program for overweight or mildly obese Australian young people. Goals of the program include: targeting weight loss, promoting weight maintenance, decreasing weight and shape concerns, healthy eating and increasing physical activity. We propose to conduct a project, commencing in July, 2011, in metropolitan Melbourne, involving approximately 570 young people aged 12-17 years. We will be recruiting voluntary participants from the community via advertisements in local media, posters in youth friendly services and through school nurses and general practitioners. Parent consent will be sought using an active consent process; young people will not be able to participate without a signed consent form from their parent or guardian. Participation for the young person is completely voluntary and they will also be required to provide written consent. Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group, and will participate in the program with access to all modules. The other participants will be randomly assigned to the control group, and will receive a list of health websites and handouts on healthy food choices and physical activity recommendations. There are 12 sessions in the program and it takes approximately 1-2 hours to work through each session. Sessions are released at the rate of one each week. Online interactive monitoring of key behaviours (e.g., food and physical activity logs) and an online discussion group are used to encourage participation. Data will be collected at the start of the program, at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. Data from the project will be collected and analysed by the Centre for Adolescent Health (CAH) at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Interventions
The internet based program will run for 12 weeks. Participants work through a new session each week for a self directed period of time (between 30-60mins recommended). Activities and goals will be set for each week. Goals will be set by the participant from a framework recommended within the program (for example to increase moderate activity from 0 to 30 mins on most days) and reviewed every week, activities will be specific to intervention group but not to each individual. Participants will be
The internet based program will run for 12 weeks. Participants work through a new session each week for a self directed period of time (between 30-60mins recommended). Activities and goals will be set for each week. Goals will be set by the participant from a framework recommended within the program (for example to increase moderate activity from 0 to 30 mins on most days) and reviewed every week, activities will be specific to intervention group but not to each individual. Participants will be recommended to gradually increase their physical activity until they are reaching a minimum of 60 minutes moderate to vigorous activity per day. All participants in the intervention group will receive a pedometer and a walking program to help achieve this goal. Cognitive behaviour aspect of the program will address self monitoring, goal setting, stimulus control, social eating etc. Diet and exercise info will be recorded in weekly online diaries the participant completes. Participants will receive feedback at least weekly. Parents of participants will be sent monthly newsletters for the 3 months of the intervention program with tips on creating a supportive environment. After the 12 week program is finished participants will receive monthly follow up via text or email (whichever preferred) asking them to review their eating and physical activity habits, and provide feedback. They can also review the materials from the program. Breakdown of weekly session themes/content (activities and goals will be based around this): Session One: Introduces key themes and concepts (lifestyle change, red foods/ green foods, good/ not so good reasons to change your lifestyle habits, understanding portion sizes). Session Two: Info on physical activity and why it is important, and difference between moderate and vigorous activity. Session Three: Setting goals and an exercise plan. Session Four: Understanding nutrition labels, how to eat out healthily. Session Five: Binge Eating- what it is, recognise it and how to reduce it. Paying attention to body cues. Mindful eating, a way to relax and eat in a healthy way. Session Six: Body image and self esteem, Triggers: Direct and indirect. Session Seven: Barriers to eating healthy, and how to overcome them Ways to get active, Creating healthy sleep routines. Session Eight: How to keep snacks healthy, the truth about diets and diet pills. Session Nine: What are eating disorders? Body image triggers and tips for avoiding a negative body image, challenging negative thoughts. Session Ten: Creating a good food environment, coping with cravings. Session Eleven: How to not take part in perpetuating stigma about weight, Ways to stay confident, Strategies for helping people deal with teasing. Session Twelve : Long term goal setting, weight maintenance. Tips for staying on top of eating and exercise. What to take away from Staying Fit.
Sponsors
Joanne Williams
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
12 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
(i) age 12 to 17 years; (ii) overweight or obese (>= 85th centile) according to the age and gender specific BMI data from the International Obesity Task Force; (iii) internet access at home or at a location where regular use is possible (i.e school, library). To facilitate complete follow-up assessments by maximising opportunities to collect height and weight data, and to contain study costs, recruitment will be restricted to those living in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Exclusion criteria
Young people with a known endocrine or chromosomal cause for their obesity; those taking prescription medication resulting in weight changes (eg Prednisolone); those with complications of overweight that contraindicate moderate physical activity (e.g. orthopaedic disorders); those with past or current medical diagnosis of a clinical eating disorder (i.e., anorexia or bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) or those who suffer from a significant health disability or condition which prevents their participation will be excluded from the trial.
Outcome results
None listed